Zombie Horde for CS:GO

Are there any old CSS Zombie Horde players here that want to play ZH again? I've managed to get it working. To quote my post on the SourceMod forums:

1. What is Zombie Horde?

Zombie Horde was a popular shotgun-centered zombie gameplay mod from CSS that also employed bunnyhopping (but by no means was it necessary); in short, one team start as humans, the other team start as zombies. It differs from other zombie gameplay mods such as Zombie Mod, Zombie Riot and Zombie Escape in the following ways:

There is no "infection" or "escape" - teams are evened and Ts always start as zombies; the round is finished when one side kills the other

There is no knockback when you shoot a zombie

There are no special zombie/human classes or powerups (no throwing knives, super-fast zombies, etc.) The only ability the zombies have is more HP than humans and HP regeneration

There are no items such as parachutes, jetpacks, etc.

Maps are normal brightness, there is no dark overlay

Only headshots damage/kill zombies

Ammo is limited - you don't get 9999 ammo (but you do get more than default)

There are no freeze grenades (but Molotov/Incendiary grenades do set zombies on fire and slow them down)

Team mates are solid - you cannot walk through them

No zombie bots - humans play the role of zombies. Teams are swapped after halftime

To be an efficient zombie, you need to know how to bunnyhop (bind mousewheeldown to jump), but it is not absolutely necessary

To be an efficient human, you need to use the Nova shotgun (or any other shotgun) and desert eagle. Rifles and SMGs are useless when you're playing against jumping and bunnyhopping human zombies and not bots, even if you're a pro

2. How to play Zombie Horde?

Since SourceMod is so flexible, it's possible to get the same Zombie Horde gameplay via two different main plugins. One is by using Zombie:Reloaded, the other is by using sm_skinchooser. Additional plugins are required for both. I already packed all the required plugins (source code included) and preconfigured everything, including sounds and models, so it should work out of the box, just extract into your gameserver. The recommended tickrate for the server is 128, because it makes bunnyhopping easier and Zombie Horde gameplay more enjoyable for all.

2.1. Zombie Horde ZR version

Note that you must use the custom version included in this package, as it has been customized specifically for Zombie Horde. Everything is already preconfigured, but you can edit some server variables in cfg/sourcemod/zombiereloaded/zombiereloaded.cfg such as mp_maxrounds, etc.

Everything is already preconfigured, but you must use the server variables in README.txt and put them into your cfg/gamemode_casual_server.cfg. Some, such as mp_maxrounds, etc., you can freely edit to your liking.

Currently, the zombie HP is set to 788 and regenerates 25 HP every second. This setup seemed to be well balanced and worked well on CSS, but with new weapons and changes in weapon damage and weapon "tagging" in CS:GO, this might not be the case any more, and might need an increase. It certainly felt this way when I tested Zombie Horde against bots and a friend. The only way to find a balanced value is by actually playing Zombie Horde to determine how much it needs an increase. For now, 788 HP seems ok; I also changed sm_cvar mp_tagging_scale to "2" to decrease the tagging.

Long ago used to play the original game mode but I believe this will suffer the same fate as in CS:S. It just gets boring, repetitive and down to only a few diehard players that enjoy it which will be less than a considerable amount to keeping a server sustainable it might not be worth the investment without trying to spice it up and keep it updated to what a player would appreciate and keep playing for. Such as dying for one. Nobody wants to wait out for long after taking heavy damage for HP to regenerate or the other opposing teams to die. I'll keep an eye out on how things go in the end. A server already up would be nice unless you're actually just advertising it wanting someone to set up a server things will be rough to gain any interest.

Well it was quite a unique experience playing Zombie Horde. The playerbase was nowhere near Zombie Mod for example (thousands vs only a couple of hundred max in ZH). But I believe that's because ZM was full of complete noobs and still is. You needed a moderate amount of skill to be good in Zombie Horde, both as a CT and T. I think this is what drove many away from ZH, they just ragequit instead. It never got repetitive to those who enjoyed it, and that's subjective anyway. I think Zombie Escape is repetitive and boring as hell, and all the novelty items such as parachutes and special super-fast zombie classes, knockback, etc. just ruin the gameplay completely for me. This is why ZH players didn't like Zombie Mod and stayed with ZH until it died.

I disagree with your statement that "nobody wants to wait out for long...". If you play normal CS, you wait when you die. Millions probably play CS that way and they enjoy it. It's part of the game, it's part of ZH as well. Running away and waiting for your HP to regenerate (max 20 seconds) is part of ZH too, and we all enjoyed that aspect of it.

I'll happily invest in a server myself, provided it doesn't cost like 80€/month (which was the cost of one somebody else suggested to me), so I'd be glad if somebody lists some good hosting providers. I've been informed it cost like 20€/month back in the CSS days, so that's probably the price range I'm aiming for. Don't really see why the price would be 4x that today.

I have to agree with Syoudous. Zombie Horde, as much as I liked when I tried it, it just gets too boring too fast. You can have a blast from a couple of hours to a couple of weeks (usually a couple of days), but then it just gets very repetitive for most players, and I agree that trying to bring something new/fresh should be a must in order to make this mode more interesting or to keep players interested for a longer time or coming back more frequently.

You mention that the mod is full of noobs... I will mention you that this kind of people (I have worked on a cybercafe and I have seen them) are just the most likely to take longer to get bored of simple mindless gameplay. And as for normal CS having millions of players enjoying it and having to wait when you die... That is nowhere close to what happens on ZH:
First of all, when you die on CSS you are most likely going to wait, on average, between 1 and 3 minutes, while on Zombie horde can easily go past the 10 minutes mark (over the maximum round timer allowed without plugin on CS:S, which is also almost never used on cs_ and de_ maps).
And then you find out that while its fun to watch humans playing against other humans, and see how your teammates play it out, and even cheer for your team to get the victory even after you demise... Is not that fun watching humans vs bots on ZH. And even if sometimes it can get pretty intense and you can have a blast seeing if they can survive, most of the time is just seeing some crouched guy shooting zombies in the same area without even moving from there. Not to mention that you don't usually cheer for your team (the actual human players) to win, because you want them to die fast so you can play again, and if victory is to be achieved, most players would prefer to be part of it, as that is kinda the "achivement" of the game, reach and beat the last wave, not seeing how others do it.

I'm not completely sure of what would need to be done to make the mode a little more appealing, but I think I would start by making shorter/divided rounds (or at least a possibility to enable them in the server) so you can play 4 rounds of 5 minutes (on average) instead of a 20 minute ones, so people dying don't have to wait that long, and can still fight "higher level" waves even if they keep dying on the first one.
I would also be a huge fan of having themed maps. Like you play on a Starship Troopers maps and its only bugs that keep coming. Each time in bigger number and maybe different color/sizes that relate to their health/speed, but just bugs.
Or having a LOTR map and at the start you fight easy-to-kill small goblins. Then goblins+orcs. Then mostly orcs. Then some trolls, and then maybe some nazguls. But well-made. With some mixture of classes to make the waves, not just having 20 different models, but maybe wave 10 has 50% of trolls on it instead of 5% like the wave 5 had. And you can use some boss-nazguls, but don't start doing ridiculous thingies like having 50 mini-balrogs. Don't know, just my opinion here.

But yeah. When I tried Zombie Horde, I loved it. But then I got bored of it quite fast. And I never had the feeling to coming back afterwards since is always the same. (Not to mention how annoying is when there are "bug-spots" that can be abused).

I have to agree with Syoudous. Zombie Horde, as much as I liked when I tried it, it just gets too boring too fast. You can have a blast from a couple of hours to a couple of weeks (usually a couple of days), but then it just gets very repetitive for most players, and I agree that trying to bring something new/fresh should be a must in order to make this mode more interesting or to keep players interested for a longer time or coming back more frequently.

And I must disagree with both of you, as we played ZH day after day and never got bored. Zombie Escape is more boring than Zombie Horde because everything is completely predictable. You walk the same path every time, you go from point A to point B, that's it. You cannot predict the outcome in Zombie Horde, because every round is different. But once again, this is all subjective.

That is nowhere close to what happens on ZH:
First of all, when you die on CSS you are most likely going to wait, on average, between 1 and 3 minutes, while on Zombie horde can easily go past the 10 minutes mark

I'm not completely sure of what would need to be done to make the mode a little more appealing, but I think I would start by making shorter/divided rounds (or at least a possibility to enable them in the server) so you can play 4 rounds of 5 minutes (on average) instead of a 20 minute ones, so people dying don't have to wait that long

I have no idea where you got this 20 minute round thing in your head. The rounds lasted 4-6 minutes max, depending on the server and/or map, and after 8-10 rounds, the teams were swapped for another 8-10 rounds until the map changed.

I would also be a huge fan of having themed maps. Like you play on a Starship Troopers maps and its only bugs that keep coming. Each time in bigger number and maybe different color/sizes that relate to their health/speed, but just bugs.
Or having a LOTR map and at the start you fight easy-to-kill small goblins. Then goblins+orcs. Then mostly orcs. Then some trolls, and then maybe some nazguls. But well-made. With some mixture of classes to make the waves, not just having 20 different models, but maybe wave 10 has 50% of trolls on it instead of 5% like the wave 5 had. And you can use some boss-nazguls, but don't start doing ridiculous thingies like having 50 mini-balrogs. Don't know, just my opinion here.

Those are ideas for a completely different mod and gameplay. There are also no waves in ZH. Teams are evened from start - 10 CTs vs 10 zombies for example.

But yeah. When I tried Zombie Horde, I loved it. But then I got bored of it quite fast. And I never had the feeling to coming back afterwards since is always the same. (Not to mention how annoying is when there are "bug-spots" that can be abused).

Reading your reply, it is obvious to me you played ZH in its early days when you played against zombie bots, and all you had to do was walk backwards and shoot zombies in the head with M4A1, or camp on a spot where zombie bots can't reach. This is not what the real (later) ZH was about, and such gameplay is actually more frequent in Zombie Mod/Zombie Riot than it ever was in ZH. There are no "bug-spots" in zh_ maps (you don't play ZH on de_dust and stock maps, this was only in the early days before there were any zh_ maps). You can't go anywhere as a CT to be safe from zombies. Take M4A1 and go camp on a ledge? Lol, good luck, you'll be the first CT to die in ZH in 9 out of 10 times. Take M249 and shoot jumping/bunnyhopping zombies in the head with no knockback like in ZM/ZE? Lol, good luck with that too.

Zombie Horde started as a simple zombie game against stupid bots, and that did in fact get repetitive quickly. But ZH evolved into a unique gamestyle of shotgun-wielding CTs against bunnyhopping zombies, all real players, no bots whatsoever.

Dude, why do you bother to quote and answer me 10 times when its obvious I didn't know about the mod you were talking about? After telling me the first time that you don't play it against bots, you don't need to quote me 9 more times to tell me "Wrong, you don't play against bots" XD. Only time I talked/played Zombie Horde it was Humans vs Bots, in Waves, and really long rounds. You could have just warned me that you are talking about a completely different mod, would have been quicker and more effective. XD

What you described, I don't consider it Zombie Horde, sounds to me like just a new/different mod called the same. To me that was just like if you were talking about "Zombie Escape" just to realize latter that your Zombie Escape was vs Bots and without Escaping, but holding an area. Thanks for the videos, will watch it now. XD

Edit: Didn't like the videos. Awful music and only grey scenery. Would have rather have one with normal/voiced gameplay than those clips with that music. XD
Anyway, I'm out of here. I was (obviously) talking about a different Zombie Horde and I don't know/care about this one. I would have noticed if I did read the first post, but I honestly just assumed I knew what Zombie Horde was. XD
Since I haven't played it, I can't give a worthy opinion about how good/fun/etc is or isn't. Good luck with it mate.

Woah! Last time I played that must've been over 6 years ago! I agree with Kaemon though, at first I was under the assumption it was mindless bots, instead of this. I always though of this as a cool twist on regular ZM. It's a ton of fun, but it also relies on a core of players, which in all honestly, I don't see happenning. Especially not in CSS, I'd give it a bigger chance in GO. Since modding for it is still kinda new this might be something fresh that might be picked up. Just like in CSS though, this is kinda niche, and while I'd love to find back that old Scandinavian server, it DID also rely on camping in groups, just like in ZM.

On a side note Kaemon, did I just envision you talking about ZE with bots instead of humans (I could've just made that up)? Or maybe the humans who die turning into zombies. Sounds like a new take on ZE which might allow for smaller groups of players, or maps where humans can be separated, just throwing a wave of zombies at the divided groups rather than all the zombies chasing down the easiest route. <-- Someone play with this.

On a side note Kaemon, did I just envision you talking about ZE with bots instead of humans (I could've just made that up)? Or maybe the humans who die turning into zombies. Sounds like a new take on ZE which might allow for smaller groups of players, or maps where humans can be separated, just throwing a wave of zombies at the divided groups rather than all the zombies chasing down the easiest route. <-- Someone play with this.

It was just a made up example to explain how lost I was, and that calling this Zombie Horde strikes to me similar to calling a Human vs Bot that doesn't even relay on escaping "Zombie Escape". XD

And I'm pretty sure many mappers I know (myself included) have thought about doing twists to ZE gameplay in a way or other, but is just too hard/troublesome doing it with Hammer mapping for a singular map. And dying humans turning into zombies is already in any server that allows (or gets forced by the map) the zombie respawn. XD

Yeah, I guess the later Zombie Horde should have been called something else instead, since the gameplay was totally different, not to mention there were no "zombie hordes," but since it was based on the same plugin/mod, it just stuck to it.

I know the videos are awful and with bad music, but they're the only ones I could find that kinda show the gameplay involved with bunnyhopping zombies, etc. Anyway, I'll buy and set up a server (EU based) in a day or two to see how it goes.

ZM did not have a bigger playerbase because they consist of complete noobs and that stays true to this day. People played it and still do simply because it was fun and relaxing. ZH isn't relaxing at all.While it was fun at times, it all just got too stressful and repetitive for me.

ZM did not have a bigger playerbase because they consist of complete noobs and that stays true to this day. People played it and still do simply because it was fun and relaxing. ZH isn't relaxing at all.While it was fun at times, it all just got too stressful and repetitive for me.

If you're competitive at heart, you'll always be looking for competition in every game and in everything else. It's not the game, but your play style and what you see the game to be.

Hey, I registered just to say that you did an awesome job! I loved this mod in CS:S! I have played with a friend on your server and it was quite nostalgic I wish there were some people playing, cuz it got boring playing only 1vs1.

Yeah, I know. First day there was like 10 of us, all old players, we relived the experience and it was awesome. But 7-8 years ago, most of the players were still young, now they're busy with jobs, etc., so they can't play as frequently... And all the new kids are busy playing Zombie Escape and Zombie Mod... Oddly I thought the Zombie community would/has moved from CSS to CS:GO, which is why I decided to port ZH to CS:GO, but it seems the CSS Zombie community is still bigger than the CS:GO community...

I also ported two popular CSS ZM maps in hopes some of the ZM players will try Zombie Horde:

zm_eh_palace_final
zm_4way_tunnel_v2

Although the second one is quite huge and doesn't really make sense on a server without at least 10+ people.